With 2025 well underway, climate COP30 in Belém, Brazil will be here before we know it. Dubbed as the “Nature COP,” COP30 is poised to unify the three Rio Conventions and commitments on climate change, biodiversity, and desertification.
Food systems transformation is at the heart of efforts to build synergies across the biodiversity (UNCBD), climate (UNFCCC), and desertification (UNCCD) conventions. Although food and agriculture were, again, not a direct focus of negotiations at the three Conference of Parties (COPs) in 2024, all three delivered some outcomes that will support food systems transformation. While incremental progress was made at CBD COP16 in Cali and progress stagnated at UNFCCC COP29 in Baku, the level of ambition on food and agriculture displayed at UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh generated much needed momentum.
The road to UNFCCC COP30 in November represents a crucial opportunity for countries to strengthen their ambition and to craft effective implementation plans to address the triple crises of climate change, biodiversity loss, and desertification by furthering ambitious actions in agriculture and food systems. As countries continue to finalize their third Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) under the Paris Agreement and develop their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) under the UNCBD, there is an opportunity to strengthen their NDCs and align climate and biodiversity measures in agriculture and food systems.
In these efforts, policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders need the right tools and insights to drive a sustainable food systems transformation – spanning from production and consumption to addressing food loss and waste.
Climate Focus and our partners have been laying the groundwork to help countries integrate sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, and land use into their climate and biodiversity commitments.
From online guidance tools to policy papers, our recent work on NDCs, NBSAPs, and food systems – along with examples of how various stakeholders can leverage these findings for meaningful action – is summarized below.
1) Food systems transformation as a synergistic approach
Toolkit for National Action on Climate, Biodiversity, and Water in Agriculture and Food Systems |
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What it is: Ahead of COP29, we released an updated Toolkit for National Action on Climate, Biodiversity, and Water in Agriculture and Food Systems. It offers practical tools and examples of policies and measures to help countries integrate sustainable food measures into NDCs, NBSAPs, and NAPs. |
| How to use it: Practitioners and policymakers can use this resource as a step-by-step guide to integrate agriculture into NDCs, NBSAPs, and NAPs. It offers real-world examples and actionable plans to support effective food systems transformation initiatives. | |
| Developed with: WWF, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), NDC Partnership, Alliance of Bioversity | |
Biodiversity and Climate Action in Agriculture and Food Systems: Opportunities for Building Synergies |
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What it is: The climate and biodiversity crises are not only major global challenges on their own but also compound one another. Both crises – and their societal and environmental impacts – are inextricably linked. Within this context, this policy paper underscores the interconnectedness of climate and biodiversity crises in food systems. Developed along with several partner organizations, the paper emphasizes the need for integrated, systemic solutions that tackle both the climate and biodiversity crises through more sustainable and resilient food systems. |
| How to use it: Policymakers and other practitioners seeking integrated approaches to the biodiversity and climate crises can use this resource to explore the links between food systems, climate, and biodiversity. | |
| Developed with: WWF, Global Alliance for the Future of Food, Alliance Bioversity-CIAT, Biovision, Agroecology Coalition | |
Aligning the Rio Conventions for Sustainable Food Systems Transformation |
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What it is: Developed with WWF, this report highlights how food systems can deliver solutions across climate, biodiversity, and desertification goals. Recommendations focus on embedding food and agriculture into international policymaking frameworks. |
| How to use it: Policymakers can use this resource to align national strategies for food systems transformation with global goals on biodiversity, climate, and desertification, ensuring cohesive and impactful action across these critical areas. | |
| Developed with: WWF | |
2) Food systems & NDCs
Food Forward NDCs Tool |
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What it is: To support countries in strengthening their climate commitments, Climate Focus, WWF, and several other partner organizations developed and launched the Food Forward NDCs tool. It provides practical guidance on policy options for food systems transformation, their benefits, and trade-offs, fostering holistic and effective policymaking. In 2025, the tool will be expanded to include guidance for food-based biodiversity action. Forthcoming guidance will focus on how various actions can be included in NBSAPs. |
| How to use it: Climate action planners can use this resource as a practical tool for food systems transformation, offering clear policy options across five priority areas. Policymakers developing NDCs or other national climate strategies will find a one-stop guide to integrating food systems measures and advancing their climate goals. | |
| Developed with: WWF, NDC Partnership, Agroecology Coalition, CGIAR, FAIRR, Biovision Foundation, SRI-2030, United Nations Environment Programme | |
Food Forward NDCs: 2024 Summary Update |
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What it is: We cannot achieve the Paris Agreement goals without transforming our food systems as they account for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. But are Parties to the Paris Agreement integrating food systems within their NDCs? In this report, developed with WWF, we provide an update on our 2022 report that analyzes NDCs, to show that while more and more countries are recognizing that food systems are a crucial part of As of September 27, 2024, 172 Parties to the UNFCCC (which includes the EU-27 representing 27 member states of the European Union) have submitted 146 updated or revised NDCs. An analysis of these updated NDCs shows that while more and more countries are recognizing that food systems are a crucial part of climate action through their international pledges compared to their previous NDCs, additional measures and implementation of these plans are needed. |
| How to use it: Policymakers, advocacy organizations, and other stakeholders can use this resource to evaluate how effectively countries have integrated food systems into their NDCs. It also provides actionable recommendations for enhancing food systems inclusion and driving improvements in future climate plans. | |
| Developed with: WWF | |
Increasing Ambition In NDCs Through Agriculture and Food Systems Innovation |
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What it is: This report, developed with the UN Foundation calls for integrating agriculture and food systems innovation into NDCs. Robust measures can unlock transformative investments and enhance global climate action. |
| How to use it: Policymakers updating national climate plans can use this resource to explore innovative agricultural solutions that help reach climate goals and work towards a sustainable food systems transformation. | |
| Developed with: United Nations Foundation | |
Food Systems Insight Brief: Trends in NDC Partnership Support |
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What it is: This insight brief with WWF and the NDC Partnership analyses requests for support the NDC Partnership has received from developing country members that are related to food systems. It identifies trends related to country requests and support offerings, informing how the Partnership can refine and scale up needed support for food-related initiatives and interventions. A total of 210 requests for support by 41 countries on the topic of food systems were analysed and broken down across various categories. The brief also summarizes common challenges to food systems integration in NDCs and offers several recommendations for the way forward for food systems integration in the NDCs 3.0. |
| How to use it: This resource is ideal for anyone working on climate policy or sustainable food systems, including government officials, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners who want to learn more about trends within integrating food systems into climate commitments. | |
| Developed with: WWF, NDC Partnership | |
Raising the Bar: Strengthening Forest Ambition in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) |
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What it is: Forests are vital for climate mitigation but remain underrepresented in NDCs. They also play a crucial role in supporting food systems by providing nutrient-rich foods, incomes for food security, ecosystem services for food production, and resilience to food systems. This report assesses forest-related measures in 130 NDCs, highlighting gaps and offering recommendations for stronger targets, finance, and inter-ministerial coordination. |
| How to use it: Policymakers can find recommendations on the need to implement ambitious forest-related targets and measures in their national climate plans. Advocacy organizations pushing for greater ambition in for forests may also find this analysis as useful leverage or context in their work with policymakers and other stakeholders. | |
| Developed with: WWF, Trillion Trees, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Birdlife International | |
3) Food & NBSAPs
Integrating deforestation and conversion-free supply chains into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) |
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What it is: It is more important than ever that policymakers recognize the importance of deforestation and conversion-free (DCF) production in meeting biodiversity goals – and take action to capitalize on related policies. The ongoing revision of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) offers an opportunity to translate these global commitments into concrete policy measures. This policy brief lays out five steps for policymakers and other stakeholders to further harness the power of DCF policies to meet national and international biodiversity goals. It clarifies the links between Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) targets and DCF production and highlights opportunities for DCF production policies to contribute to the GBF. |
| How to use it: Policymakers can use this step-by-step guidance as a starting point to understand how DCF (deforestation and conversion-free) supply chains can drive progress on biodiversity goals and explore practical actions for incorporating them into NBSAPs. | |
| Developed with: WWF | |
Food Forward NBSAPs: Integrating Food Systems in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans |
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What it is: Policymakers must prioritize action on sustainable production and deforestation-free supply chains to achieve global biodiversity goals. This report analyzes 64 countries’ NBSAPs and National Targets and emphasizes the need for stronger integration of food systems into biodiversity strategies. The report shows that while many countries are recognizing that food systems are a crucial part of progress towards the GBF Targets, additional measures and implementation of these plans are needed. |
| How to use it: Advocacy organizations and policymakers can use this resource to assess how effectively countries have incorporated food systems into their NBSAPs and explore recommendations for driving stronger integration moving forward. | |
| Developed with: WWF | |
4) Food systems & climate finance
Public Climate Finance for Food Systems Transformation |
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What it is: This updated report reveals a critical gap: while public climate finance has grown, funding for food systems fell to just 2.5%. The report calls for urgent investment in sustainable food systems to protect biodiversity, livelihoods, and food sovereignty. |
| How to use it: Policymakers can use this resource to advocate for greater investment in sustainable food systems. Advocacy organizations can leverage the insights to strengthen the case for scaling up public climate finance, particularly to support frontline communities and drive meaningful transformation. | |
| Developed with: Global Alliance for the Future of Food | |
Money well spent? Why the world’s biggest climate funds are failing to get finance to the grassroots where it matters most |
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What it is: Small-scale farmers, essential to global food systems, receive a fraction of necessary climate finance. Our report with FFORA and IIED identifies barriers to funding access and outlines solutions to empower farmers in the sustainable agriculture transition. |
| How to use it: Funders and policymakers can use this resource to identify barriers to climate finance for small-scale farmers and develop strategies to unlock targeted funding for sustainable agriculture. Grassroots organizations can leverage the insights to advocate for more equitable and accessible climate finance for small-scale farmers. | |
| Developed with: Family Farmers for Climate Action (FFORA) Foundation for Farmers Organisations and Restorative Action, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) | |
Questions or comments? Reach out to Haseeb Bakhtary, Lead Consultant (h.bakhtary@climatefocus.com) to learn more about Climate Focus’ work on food systems transformation.
